Agricultural machine



A. E. RICE.

AGRICULTURAL MACHINE.

APPLICATION man APR. 1o, m2oA 15,357,902.` Patented Nov. 2, 1920'.-

A. E. RICE.

AGRICULTURAL MACHINE.

APPLxcATloN FILED APR. 1o, 1920.

Patented N ov. 2, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES enorm-neer ro WILLIAM GETTY,

I. TIINNESTA.

AGRICULTURAL MACHINE.

Application filed. .ff-.pril l0.

nfl fw /Lofm may concern it ifnown that a citii the United l A iamin the conntv o rie la th State v l. v .L a e ini eared oei -'al i i i n' is a speci- .i the accomifrhines. and l as re va device o'i this designed and in conne l.in with po d nnizhines. and it is an iniion to provide a novel 'bine which operates ei?- he collected potatoes ".em` dirt or other 'torthe same. and to cieci a sucking i 4, und.)

vide a novel and in ,general chai-acte. wh'rh apted io ne trailed behind pointe digger or the iihe otherwise transported. and which is provided with an endless receiving conveyer mechanism operated as a separating; eiement and which conveyer mechanism discharges upon a grading mechanism.

An additional object oi the invention is to provide a novel and improved nrmhine oi this general character einl'iodyin `grading mechanism including` meansy whereby peta toes or the like are discliaiped into suitably positioned sacks in accordance with the grade or size thereof.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my im` proved mechanism' whereby certain im portant advantages are attained and the device rendered simpler. less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advan tageous for use. as wili hereinai'ter be more fully set forth.

The novel features oi' invention will hereinafter be denitely claimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood. l will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein r-- Figure i, is a vien1 in side eieva-tion of an Speciication ci? Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2, 1920.

1926. Serial No. 372,860.

agricnitnral machine constructed in accordance fith an embodiment oi my invention;

rig. 2 if a view in rear elevation of the device as i strated in Fig'. l;

3 is a view in top plan oi the maenine as herein disciosed;

is a sectional view taken substantiaiiy on the line of Fig. 3.

is disciosed in the accompanying draw ings, i `enctes a :supporting axle having` mounted on the opposite end portions thereoi' the traction wheels Q. The wheels 2 are mounted upon the aizle l in a manner whereby the same may have differential movement and which is particularly desirable when the machine is being turned. As thisl construction. however, in itself forms no partici-.nar part oi my presentA invention, a detailed description and illustration thereoi is beiieved to be unnecessary.

D denotes a tongue havingl its rear or butt end portion' operativeiy engaged with the axle Depending' from the tong-ne D are ihe longitudinally spaced guides through which is loosely directed an' elongated draft rod 4. 'ihe rod 4c extends forwardly oi' the tongue i) and terminates in a hitch 5 adapted te be conpied in any preferred manner with the rear portion of the potato dige` 1er or kindred machine. Y

Uperatively engaged with the opposite end portions oi the axle l are the lower eX- tremities of the upwardly and rearwardly inciined posts or standards 6 arranged sub stantially in parallelism. The posts 6 are provided at a desired point intermediate their ends with snbstantialiy horizontally :dined bearings 7 which rotatably support a transverse shaft 8. The shaft 8 is also directed through the side members 9 comprised in the grading mechanism forming part of niv improved invention, and which side members entend a desired distance above and beiow the shaft- 8 and on a downward and rearward incline with respect to the machine proper. Coacting,r with each of the posts or standards 6 and the adjacent side board 9 above and below said post or standard are the brace members 10 whereby said side boards 9 are effectively held against r0- tation about the shait 6. The vbrace members l0 are adjustably engaged with the co acting side board or member 9 so that the angle oi inclination of said side members or boards 9 may be varied as the requirements of practice may prefer. Fixed to the shaft 8 between the side members or boards 9 and substantially bridging the space therebetween is a drum 1l around which passes an endless apron l2 of a width Y substantially equal to the distance between the side members or boards 9, and said apron l2 also passes around a drum lll carried by a shaft l5 rotatably supported by and bridgingthe space between the side members or boards); @ne end portion of the shaft 8 is in driven connection, through the instrumentality of the sprocket chain 16, with the adjacent wall 2 so that as the machine travels forwardly, the upper stretch of the apron l2 moves upwardly and forwardly.

lSecured to the posts or standards 6 are the end portions of a board 17. Said board bridges the space between the posts or standards 6 andhas the central part of its lower marginalv portion positioned in close proximity to theupper stretch. of the apron l2 and adjacent the lower portion thereof. `The opposite ends of the low .r marginsl portion of the board l() are each cut away to provide the stepped recesses 18 affording discharge openings of different sizes and whereby the requisite grading or sizing of the potatoes or the like isl effected.

rilhe upper marginal portion et the board i7 at substantially the longitudinal center thereof rotatively supports a drum or findl lass 19 to which is engaged and adapted to beV wound a -[terrible member 20. The meniber 2O entends downwardly and under :i guide pulley 2l carried by the rear portion of the tongue D and extends forwardly and Vis secured to the rear or inner end portion of the draft rod 4l. The drum 'or pulley 19 isadapted to be rotated by the crank 22 or the like, and said drum or windlass isheld against retrograde rotation through Vthe -instrumentality of the dog or pawl The exible member 20 'and the drum or windlass 19 4provides means whereby niy-improved machine can be drawn forward toward orpermitted to drop back Vwith respect tothe hitch 5 or the potato digger or kindred machine to which the may be attached. 4 j

Secured tothe upper end portions of the posts Vor standards 6 are the forwardly and upwardly inclinedarins 2i and and interposed Vbetween each of said arms 24, and

f 24d' andthe adjacent post orstandard 6is a race member 25 whereby said arm 243: or 24a isrigidly ysupported in desired position. TheV angle of the ar1ns` 24 and 2li!DL may be readily adjusted by eitherrv lengtheningl or shortening the'brace members 25.

*lotatably supported by the forward end portionsiofthe-armsQd and 24ais a transversely disposed Vshaft 265and` one end portion of said shaft 26 is extended outwardly of the adjacent arm 2da and has lined thereto a sprocket wheel 2 7. Engaging the sprocket wheel 27 at the forward side thereof is the inner stretch of a vertically disposed sprocket chain 28. The upper portion of the chain 28 passes over an idle sprocket Vwheel 29 rotatably supported by a forwardly and upwardly disposed extension 30 of the arm 2da, while the lower portion of the sprocket chain 28 is operatively engaged with the adjacent traction wheel 2. denotes a conveyer mechanism includ-- ing the side boards or members 3l havi g their rear end portions operatively engaged with the shaft 26 and their forward end portions supported by the upstanding supporting members 32 carried by the forward portion of the tongue D. The members are each adjustably secured 'to its reacting side board or member 3l and to the tongue D so that Vtbe angle of the conveying mechanism may be regulated as desired.

33 denotes a transversely disposed shaft rotatably supported by the forward or lower end portions of the side boards or members 3l and adjustable longitudinally thereof, and said shaft 33 inwardly of and in close proximity to each of the side boards 3l is provided with a sprocket wheel around which passes a sidel chain 35. rllhis cha-in 35 also passes around a sprocket wheel 36 iXed to the shaft 26 in longitudinal alinement with the sprocket wheel The side chains 35 are connected by the crossed cleats or sla-ts 37 with adjacent cleats or slots in relatively close proximity one to the other. rllhe rotation of the shaft 2G is such as to cause the upper stretches of the chains 35 to move upwardly and rearwardly and the cleats or slats 37, in addition to assuring the requisite conveyance of the potatoes or the like discharged thereupon, provide means whereby dirt or the like is eflectually sepa'- rated from the potatoes.

The forward or lowerend portions of the side members or boards 3i adjacent the upper margins thereof are connected with a transversely disposed rod 38 with which is engaged an inwardly disposed andV downwa-rdly inclined gate 3.9 having lfree `swinging movement in a vertical path, and which gate serves a means 'tol prevent the potatoes or the like from rollingoif atthe forward or lower end portion of the conveyer mechanism. Y

ln order to impart greater rigidity and strength to my improved machine, Il find it of advantage to inter-pose betweenthe tongue D at a desired point in advance of the axle l-and the opposite' end portions of the axle A; the brace irons 40.

Secured to the rear face of the boardl? at each end thereof and coactingwitheach ofj the stepped openings is a rearwardlyand downwardly directed chute ll which also serves as a sack holder and is adapted to be engaged within the upper or open end of a sack S, as is particularly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4. The lower portion of each of the sacks S is adapted to rest upon a holding platform 42 suitably secured to the bottom edges of the side membersI or boards 9 at the lower or rear portions thereof, and each of said platforms 4:2 has its lower portion continued by a rearwardly7 and angularly dis posed extension 43 on which the bottoms of the sacks directly rest.

Suitably secured to the outer face of tl e apron 12 are the spirally arranged ribs 4H; disposed in opposite directionf-z. from sul stantially the transverse center of the machine. and which ribs preferablyT comprise rope or other cordage. By this means, as the apron 12 travels, the potatoes or the like discharged upon the upper stretch thereof are moved in opposite directions along the board 17 until the same come to the stepped openings 18 and through which the same discharge in accordance with their grade `or size.

In practice my improved machine is adapted to trail behind a potato digger of the standard four-horse type, and as the potatoes are discharged from said digger they fall upon the conveyer mechanism C. The potatoes are then carried upwardly and rearwardly by the mechanism (l and discharged upon the apron 12, as just eX- plained. The apron 12. through the instrumentality of the ribs lL-t, spreads the pot-atoes in opposite directions along the board 17 so that the same will be readily carried to the stepped openings 18. As the potatoes pass through the openings 18, they are col! lected within the sacks S suitably engaged with the chutes 41. The operator walks between the platforms 42, and said platforms` as is particularly illustrated in Fig. 2, are spaced apa-1t transversely of the machine. By this means, the operator has complete control of the machine.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim z- 1. A machine of the class described including a substantially horizontally disposed member provided with longitudinally 2. A machine of the class described in cluding a substantially horizontally disposed member provided with longitudinally spaced grading openings, means for moving the articles to be grated longitudinally of the member and in reverse directions from substantially the longitudinal center of the member, said means constituting a movable bottom, and feeding means delivering to said bottom at the central portion of the member.

3. A machine of the class described including a substantially horizontally disposed member provided with longitudinally spaced grading openings, and means for moving the articles to be graded longitudinally of the member and in reverse direc tions, said means comprising an endless apron provided with outstanding, spiral ribs, said apron constituting a movable bottom and extending upwardly from and to one side of the member.

4. A machine of the class described including a substantially horizontally disposed member provided with longitudinally spaced grading openings, and means for moving the articles to be graded longitudinally of the member and in reverse directions, said means comprising an endless apron provided with outstanding, spiral ribs, said ribs being reversely directed from a point substantially midway of the member, said apron constituting a movable bottom and extending upwardly from and to one side of the member.

5. A machine of the class described comprising a substantially horizontally dis posed member provided with longitudinally spaced grading openings, and means for moving the articles to be graded longitudinally of the member and in reverse directions, said means comprising an endless apron provided with outstanding, spiral ribs, and means for operating the apron with the upper stretch moving in a direction away from the member, said apron constituting a movable bottom and extending upwardly from and to one side of the member.

6. A machine of the class described com* prising a grading mechanism, said mechanism including a member disposed transversely of the direction of travel of the machine and provided with grading openings, means for movingthe articles to be separated along said member in opposite direc-v tions, and a conveyer delivering to the grading mechanism, said conveyer operating as a separator, said conveyer being disposed on a downward incline in a direction from the member', the high yendfoi the conveyer con Vstituting the discharge end.

directions, and a conveyer delivering to the Y grading 'mechanism at the central portion of the member. I 8. A; machine oi the class described comprising a grading mechanism, said mechanism including a member disposedtransversely of the direction of travel of the machine and provided with grading openings,

means for moving the articles to be separated along said member in Aopposite directions, and a conveyer delivering to the grading mechanism at the central portion of the Y member, said conveyeil operating as a sepaiator.

k9'. A machine of the class described comprising a supporting structure, a grading mechanism carried thereby and including side members supported intermediate their.

lengths by the structure for swinging movement in a vertical path, means for holding said side members in different positions about their pivots, a transverse member interposed between said side members and provided with longitudinally spaced grading'v openings, an endless apronV supported lbetween the side members above the transverse member and traveling ina direction longitudinally of the side members, the upper stretch of the endless apron traveling in a direction away from the transverse member, and means for imparting movement to the endless apron, said apron being provided with means for moving articles deposited thereon in a direction lengthwise of the transverse member.

l0. A machine of the class described comprising a supporting structure, a grading mechanism Vcarried thereby and including side members supported intermediate their lengths by the structure for swinging movement in a vertical path, means for holding said side members in different positions about their pivots1 a transverse member interposed between said side members and provided with longitudinally spaced grading openings, an endless apron supported between the side members above the transverse member andV traveling in a direction longitudinally of -the side members, the upper stretch of the endless apron traveling in a direction away from the transverse member, means i'or imparting movement to the endless apron, said apron being provided with means Jfor moving articles deposited thereon in a direction lengthwise of the transverse member, and a separating conveyer carried by the structure and discharging upon the apron at the central portion of the transverse member.

ln testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

ARLO E. RICE. r 

